UFC on FOX 4's DaMarques Johnson happy to be the 'big dumb puppy' of the octagon

http://mmajunkie.comLOS ANGELES – DaMarques Johnson has alternated between wins and losses with clockwork regularity in the past two years.

Does he mind? Of course.

But the way he thinks of it, such is the job that he could either issue a beating or take one. Since he’s been in the UFC, it’s been one or the other; he hasn’t seen a scorecard in eight octagon outings.

The alternative, to him, is game-planning and strategy and tactics, and well, he’s not cut out for that.

“I just kind of go in there,” Johnson said. “I mean, maybe I just don’t take it as serious.

“No, not as serious, just like … it’s a dude that’s going to be punching me in the face, regardless. That’s about what I try and leave it at. As far as all the game-planning, some guys like it. Me, my (attention deficit disorder) prevents me from doing any of that [expletive].”

It just so happens that he enjoys what he does, whatever happens after the first bell rings.

Really, he’s an exhibitionist.

“This is my thing,” Johnson on Wednesday told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) after a workout. “A whole bunch of strangers watching me have fun and be the big dumb puppy. I love my life. I’m living my dream. I don’t have much to be upset about.”

Johnson (16-10 MMA, 4-4 UFC) certainly wasn’t upset when the UFC informed him that his fight with the returning Mike Swick (14-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) would be on network TV for UFC on FOX 4, which takes place Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles. When a heavyweight bout between Travis Browne and Ben Rothwell was scratched, his bout was bumped up to the four-fight main card airing live on FOX.

That’s a lot more eyeballs to watch him strut his stuff.

“I was doing backflips on the inside,” Johnson said. “Everybody in the UFC would love to be on the main card. It’s more sponsor money, it’s more time for your fans that do know you. They feel like they’re getting that exposure with you, and then you’re getting exposed to new fans, as well.

“I mean, love me or hate me, you’re going to see an exciting fight. Whether you’re cheering for me to get knocked out, or cheering for me to knock someone out, I probably won’t let you down.”

Although he’s been sidelined for two years due to health issues, Swick historically has shared that spirit. He’s the one that berated an opponent in mid-fight for holding onto him and threw up his arms in protest when another covered up in defense.

It remains to be seen if that spirit will be present on Saturday, given that Swick took extra precautions in the gym in preparation.

Either way, Johnson will go in there and fight. He followed Swick’s career before he ever started fighting professionally and jumped at the chance to meet the American Kickboxing Academy veteran when his return was confirmed.

“You can’t have a swimmer that doesn’t want to get wet,” he said, borrowing from the current Olympic fever. “I’ll go out there and I’ll risk losing. But I want to go out and fight. Fighting is my reward.”

Of course, Johnson would much rather be on the right side of a win than the opposite, and looking at his record, it appears he’s due for a victory. But even if he doesn’t, the job doesn’t change.

“He’s going to try and feed his family, I’m going to try and feed my family, and you guys are the winners,” Johnson said.

The Latest

The man known for cranking submissions to the point of injury added eye-gouging to his repertoire. But is the controversy of Rousimar Palhares too essential to his bizarre, awful appeal for his employers to take any meaningful action against him?

Ronda Rousey’s statistical greatness has already ventured into uncharted territory – just six fights into her UFC career. Check out all the post-fight facts, including Rousey’s latest achievements, about UFC 190.